


VIXI

by Matterofhope



Category: Metal Gear
Genre: Hal Emmerich - Freeform, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Otacon - Freeform, Sadness, Sunny Emmerich - Freeform, but i don't think i got certain facts straight, hal & sunny are father daughter content, heavy mentions of events of mgrr, i took a lot of inspiration and stuff from the mgs4 novel, mention of Raiden, meryl - Freeform, old snake death mentioned many times, solid snake - Freeform, some spoilers for all games
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:47:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26946925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Matterofhope/pseuds/Matterofhope
Summary: “What were you reading?”Hal glanced at the book. “It’s some sort of autobiography,” he responded.“Whose?” Sunny asked."Snake's."....Hal and Sunny struggle with Snake's death, but something Dave wrote and left behind inspires Hal to write something of his own.
Relationships: Otacon/Solid Snake, Sunny Emmerich & Hal Emmerich
Comments: 14
Kudos: 24





	VIXI

**Author's Note:**

> One anagram of the Roman numeral XVII is VIXI, which in Latin translates to "I have lived"

Dave had grown more silent as the months went by; not that he was ever much of a speaker. I mean he _could_ be if you asked him the right questions. You could really get him talking if you did. But these days, when he _did_ speak. You better listen.

  
  
  
  


“Otacon.” 

Hal couldn't get out of his chair faster. The cough that escaped Dave’s throat was gruesome. Hal was surprised it didn’t come along with Dave falling to the floor. 

He crouched down in front of him; as he had many times before. Dave slouched forward as Hal kept a steady hand on his shoulder, keeping him up. 

“I never told you….” Dave’s breathing was labored. “There’s a book. Leather. it’s under my mattress….Read it when I’m gone?” 

“Of-of course.” Hal hadn’t heard of any sort of book, ever. 

Dave shook his head as much as he could. “I really don’t feel good, Hal.” He said. 

“It’s okay Dave…” Hal rubbed his arm, hoping the use of his real name brought some sort of comfort or closeness. “Everything will be okay.” He whispered. 

Hal didn’t say anything further, he tenderly brought up a hand to Dave’s face. The wrinkles under his fingertips. Dave’s rough skin inches from Hal’s face; he could see every detail and crevasse. There was no point in _not_ touching Dave, showing him compassion. He knew he couldn’t do it for much longer.  
Hal brushed a thumb over his cheek. “Don’t worry. I’ll remember everything you were.” 

_~_

_”This wasn’t no Shadow Moses. But the cold interior of the building sent chills down my spine. I was still green at the time, maybe that’s why I was so unsettled. I look back and wonder who the hell sends a rookie to infiltrate a base like this?”_

~

”Uncle Hal?” 

Hal didn’t hear Sunny walk down the steps. Maybe she acquired some stealth techniques over the years. 

That or - Hal was too engulfed in his readings that her appearing at the bottom of the stairs, whispering his name, caught him off guard. 

“Sunny.” He slammed the notebook shut. “What’s wrong?... You can’t sleep?” It was more of an assumption; since he couldn’t sleep much these days either. 

_Not since..._

  
Sunny nodded - Hal _did_ guess right - her sleepy expression barely illuminated by the reading light Hal had on.

“Me neither. Come.” Hal gestured to his lap. 

“What were you reading?” She tiptoed closer to him; barley making any noise, not that it mattered, it was just them two in the nomad. 

Hal glanced at the book. It’s ware and tear was a bit noticeable. The leather cover was faded in a few spots, ripped in the corners; it fit Dave well. 

“It’s some sort of autobiography,” he responded. 

“Whose life is it about?” Sunny asked. 

“...Snake’s.” 

~

_“His words will never leave my head. His scream sounded of my own. My nose will never forget the pure rancid smell of his burnt flesh. The image of a live body, moving around, screaming curses at me and yet; he still remained engulfed in flames while he lunged at me.”_

~ 

“The reason I called was that I wanted to see how you're doing.” 

Hal glanced up at Meryl, who was currently on the big screen in the middle of the nomad. He noticed her red hair looked freshly cut, a contrast to her white button-up. 

She looked content, Maybe even happy - despite the fact she wore a slightly worried expression at the moment. 

“How are you holding up?” She asked again. 

“I’m fine, just been working a lot.” Hal found a folding chair to sit down in. As if he was bearing the weight of the world. (he wasn’t, really.) 

“I made a potential new Mk model.” he said, at least he could be excited about that. 

“I know you’re really great at stuff like that. We could use some sort of techie on our team.” She said. “Johnny is the closest thing we got right now, but we could use someone like you.” 

Hal leaned forward in his seat. Clasping his hands together as he weighed his options. 

Not that it took very long to decide. 

“I'm alright where I am.” Hal glanced up at her, not wanting to meet her gaze. 

She blinked. “You’re fine?” 

“Yeah.” Hal nodded. His throat suddenly felt dry. “I appreciate the offer, I’m just-I’m sorry, I can’t-” 

“No need to explain.” She waved him off before he could finish. “You’re dealing with a lot right now.” 

Hal dropped his head. 

“I miss him too.” She said. “He...wouldn’t want you to be sad though.” 

“That’s what he told me.” Hal shut his eyes. “It doesn’t mean it hurts any less.”

Her vision became blurry and her eyes visibly glossy. But Hal didn’t see it, he was too busy staring at the grey floor beneath him. 

“He was a good man, and If I’m being completely honest....” She looked at Hal, who didn’t look back up at her. “I think you helped him out more than you know.” 

“I couldn’t get him to quit smoking. That’s one thing he decided by himself.” Hal muttered 

“He stopped drinking though, didn't he?” She raised an eyebrow at him. 

_Now_ Hal looked up at her. A wide-eyed expression that he tried to hide. 

“And he only quit smoking so he could live longer. He must have quit for both you and Sunny.”

Hal shook his head. “He stopped the drinking around the time philanthropy was formed….it-it had to be because of that. And-and the smoking-” 

“Sure, Hal.” she interrupted him. “For philanthropy.” 

~ 

_“Fragile. He speared fragile. He climbed out of the locker and immediately started limping. I had wondered if Gray Fox had injured him._

_He explained he actually sprained his ankle trying to run away. Then, I was scared he was going to be the third man I came across who would succumb to another heart attack._

_He didn't._

_That man stayed alive, and by my side for the next nine years.”_

~

  
“How are things going at the company?” Hal took a seat, it seems he always did. He started to understand why Snake sat down so often. 

“Good.” Sunny responded. “I spoke to Raiden just the other day! We’ve been in contact a lot lately.” Her voice was excited. 

“How’s he doing?” It had only been 4 years since Liquid’s insurrection, but Hal felt older. Maybe Snake’s rapid aging rubbed off on him. 

Hal had been thinking about him a lot hadn’t he? 

“He’s known as Jack the ripper now, a little harsh of a name in my opinion. He’ll always just be ‘Jack’ in my heart.” Sunny responded.

“I still remember when we met him in Big Shell. He was fresh-faced, I remember Snake called him a pretty boy.” Hal smiled a little at the memory. 

“Well...was he?” Sunny asked.

“Sure.” Hal shrugged. “If anything...I probably looked more rugged than him.” 

“Yeah, r _ight._ ” She giggled. 

“He was just trying to survive and complete his mission. He just didn’t know or understand half the things that were happening around him.” Hal said. “It was all bizarre and new to him.” 

“I’m guessing he _did_ end up getting his job done?” Sunny asked. 

Hal swallowed. “With the help of Snake mostly….he was a real inspiration to Raiden throughout the whole mission.” Hal shifted in his seat. “And an inspiration to me too if I’m honest.”

Sunny grew quiet. Hal thought maybe she never liked to talk about it 

“I um….” Hal took notice of sadness that filled her facial expression. “I miss you, Sunny.”

“Miss you too, uncle Hal... I’ll keep you updated with what’s going on.” She smiled. “I should go.”

He nodded. “Goodbye, Sunshine.” Hal grinned when he used the nickname. 

“Bye.” she gave him one last smile before she ended the call. 

~ 

_“I had hit my head once or twice already. And when the tanker sunk, my brain wasn’t functioning as well as it should have been._

_The last thing I knew every ounce of my body was underwater. My suit clung to my body and every inch of my surroundings was water. Then before I knew it, a pair of hands grabbed me and dragged me on a hard surface; luckily for me the surface was dry._

_I thought maybe some guards had grabbed me, I had prepared for angry yelling and punches to my ribs when I wouldn’t respond._

_Instead, the fluffy-haired figure gave me its jacket and took me home.”_

~  
  


“And this is blade wolf.” Sunny showered the robotic dog. 

Hal saw a dog-shaped robot, all black, it looked sharp, with metal pieces acting as its fur, the tail resembled something of the Mk’s manipulator hand. 

“She’s magnificent.” He commented. “How did she get built?” 

“Not sure, but Raiden let me have her, I plan on finding out more about her… “ she adjusted the camera back on her. “What about you Uncle Hal? What have you been up to?”

“I’ve...been writing a book.” he took a deep breath. “It’s um...a retelling of Snake’s last days.”

“Wait- what do you mean?.” her stuttering seemed to come back at the most unexpected of times. She must have been caught off guard at Hal’s words. Possibly even nervous. 

“The book starts from the day Snake visited The Boss’ graveyard, then Campbell visiting us, asking for Snake’s help to...Big Boss coming back.”

She blinked. “T-That’s it?” Speaking about Snake and those weeks in 2014 must-have brought back less than favorable memories for her; and Hal couldn’t blame her for that. 

“The rest is personal.” Hal responded. “It’s something I would rather be vague on and keep between us three. It was our goodbye to him, no one needs to really know.”

“You think he enjoyed it?” Sunny asked.

“The traveling? I hope so. He was never much to show excitement, especially in his last days.”

“So this novel… “ She fiddled with her hair. “It’s a biography r-right? What inspired you?”

“It is sort of a biography, yeah.” He nodded. “....before Snake died he told me about a journal he kept. He wrote about various things, missions, experiences…” Hal fiddled with his collar. “I think it’s important to tell people who he was, and _what_ he did. I wanna tell people about his finale mission. He had so much determination. He was dead set on finishing Liquid himself. I think he was an inspiration to me and many others- I mean you know that.” 

“And you had a big role in that uncle Hal.” She grinned.

Hal chuckled. “Don’t flatter me.” 

“It’s true.” Sunny responded. “Every great man needs some sort of support.”

“You mean a sidekick.” Hal scratched the nape of his neck. 

“No...I mean, _support_.” She corrected him. “You were his tech support.”

Hal clasped his hands together. “Sure, when you put it that way-“

“You also invented almost all of his tools and equipment right? He wasn’t Procure-on-site anymore, was he?” She grinned. “You had a big part of that in Hal!”  
  


~ 

_“I stood at this graveyard. With one last mission._

_I had killed many men in my time of being a soldier. Even a few men in my time in philanthropy._

_And yet, here in my hand was a weapon, a tool to rid the world of what I could have become. I still struggled to pull the trigger._

_Many people prayed to a god to help them in difficult situations, I never believed in such sorts._

_I cleared my throat._

_“I don’t believe in god, Otacon, so you’re the only one to whom I can pray,” I said._

_I looked up at the sky, wondering if he was noticing the sun that was setting as I was at that moment._

_“Hal, give me the strength to do this now,” I whispered.  
  
_

~ 

  
  


“Sunny….” he held out a book, held together by a makeshift cover. He tried his best to get the pages in order and the re-telling of the stories right. But it was finally finished. 

“I want you to have it.” he said. 

Hal looked at the girl who stood in front of him, his adopted daughter. 

He hadn’t seen her in person in what felt like _years._ Her hair now a bit longer and her voice a little more mature. 

Her eyes looked up at him. “But Uncle Hal...aren’t you going to publish it?” 

“I have a copy at home.” he smiled. 

She carefully grasped it, holding it in her still-too-little hands. 

He watched her carefully inspect it. “He loved you- whether or not you knew it.” Hal’s voice was barely a whisper. “ _I know_ he did.” 

She didn’t need to say it; she loved him too. She was forever grateful for what Snake did. They both were.

“Thank you, Uncle Hal.” 

~ 

When Sunny had free time to herself. She opened the book. The paper made the familiar sound when she flipped through the pages. 

When she began reading, she started to hear the whole book in Hal’s voice. After years of hearing him talk to her, teaching her how to do things; she could hear every word in his voice, like he was there, reading it to her.   
  


_“Let me tell you a story about the Snake I know best. The Snake who was my friend. The Snake that changed my life.”_

~

“I speak of a story not of a monster, or a beast, but of a blue rose, _a man_. Who did everything he could to protect the world and the people in it.” 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> (I hope it was obvious that the italics are Snake’s words/his writing.) 
> 
> Other than that, I hope you enjoyed it! Not everything is correct and there are a few details that probably aren’t accurate? I’m not familiar with MGRR but I still wanted to write this idea, since it was living in my brain rent-free. 
> 
> I could ramble about how the MGS4 novel broke me, but I think this fic might be proof of that. The novel is beautifully written and it gets me every time. I also hope this fic does justice to the story and 'the testament' of Solid Snake. He's a character that will stay with me. 
> 
> Thanks for reading ;)


End file.
